UFOA B: Burkina Faso routs Nigeria 4-1 and books U20 AFCON 2027 ticket

It's all over at the Charles Konan Banny Stadium in Yamoussoukro. Burkina Faso dominated Nigeria 4-1 in the UFOA B U20 final and punched their ticket for the 2027 U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana. After a 3-0 lead at halftime, the Stallions managed the rest of the match to secure the trophy and cap off a near-perfect campaign.

Final mastered from start to finish

Oscar Barro’s Burkina Faso U20s hit the pitch determined to settle the match early. And they wasted no time. Alassana Bagayoko opened the scoring, before Lookman Achraf Tapsoba, the top scorer at the 2025 U17 AFCON, doubled the lead. Issouf Dabo, the Bayern Munich youngster, then made it three with a header—all within the first 15 minutes. Burkina Faso went into the dressing room with a commanding 3-0 advantage.

Nigeria tried to mount a comeback in the second half. In the 52nd minute, Adeleke, the tournament's top scorer with five goals, pulled one back. But Burkina Faso kept their cool. In stoppage time, Fadil Barro curled in a spectacular direct free kick to make it 4-1 and put the result beyond doubt.

Flawless run to the title

The Stallions’ road to the championship was clear and commanding. They opened with a solid 3-1 win over Togo. Then came a clash with Ghana, which ended 1-1—the only blemish on their record.

Determined to finish top, the Burkinabè then beat Nigeria 2-0 in the group stage. In the semifinals, they confirmed their status with a 2-0 win over Niger before sealing the title with this emphatic 4-1 victory over Nigeria in the final.

In total: 4 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses. An attack that proved lethal and a defense that stood tall in the big moments. Burkina Faso takes home the trophy, the tournament's best player award for Mohamed Zongo (2 goals, 4 assists), and the best goalkeeper prize for Rahim Ouattara.

The return of Oscar Barro and the Stallions

With this title, Oscar Barro leads Burkina Faso to the U20 AFCON for the second time after 2021. The country had missed the 2023 and 2025 editions. The 2027 U20 AFCON in Ghana will mark the Stallions’ comeback on the continental stage. And with this talented generation led by Mohamed Zongo, Loukman Tapsoba, and Issouf Dabo, Burkina Faso will not just be making up the numbers.

Nafongo TRAORE |

News Editorfr, ar, en

Nafongon Moussa TRAORE, Burkinabè de 25 ans, est passionné de football, est rédacteur pour Foot Africa et commentateur pour BurkiFoot.

Related teams and leagues

Nigeria U20

Burkina Faso U20

Africa Cup of Nations U20